Deck supporting device



July 11, 1939. DECK SUPPORTING DEVICE I Filed June 6, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 v v v Q I INVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

H. NYIUSSEY I 2,165,406

- ly' 1939- w. H. MUSSE Y" DECK SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed June 6, 1938 2 Sheds-Sheet ATTORNEY.

g g My invention relatesto supporting mechanism qw portiori-fof the ,braeliet I0, and I2 slots in the TI for anj'end of adeck which deck is adapted to hold bracket running at right angles to the car side.

- g. i avehicle' such as an automobile irraireight car.-

l3 representsj securing plate; the purpose of I i-loading automobiles, preferabliiour in'num iwhioh will beexplained later.

ber,-in "freight oars, it iscomm'on practice to ll designates an extension or bracket upon the 5 n secure two automobiles on'th e floon ot-the-car 'side of the deck 'adjacentits forward end, this r and secure anautomobileupona deqk overleach extension or ,bracket having therein a. circular i floored-automobile. Deeksifor"thispurposehlef: -,;"penin g' l and a. connecting elongated slot [8. erably have an end pivoted 01' indexed to the ear extension or bracket may be of:any'suitable 1 body, the opposite end beingvfree to be raised of ,shape wandjmay be integral with v 0r-detaehably 1'0 v tilted in order'to-provideroom therebeneathior i'lxedto the'deok; "I I representscajpivoted oover I one of the automobiles securedtothe car floor; plate ior'the circularopening l5, and I8 uioper-v when thejend of thedeck is'so raisedor. tilted gating handler therefor, the purpose elf which will" i i it is essential that that end'heheldseeurely in its be explained later. l aisananchor for the lower it) proper position andeasilyreleasedin orderthatend o1 fiexib1e memberflj g the -anchor being u, the deck may be lowered to the floor. I welded r otherwis'esecured to sidesill 8 or other n The objects army invention are to provide; portion ofthe earadjacent the floor. Misaturn- 'iheans"for clieaplyfefllciently and 'safely-support-,, buckle ;attac'hed to the upper end, of member 9f ing an endoi a deok'in'its elevated position; ;to. 'andhasat itsupper endahook 2lfa'nd'theiower" providea support device-which is easilyand end, i member-"Shires. cooperating eye 22 f orthev 'quickly withdrawn'irom its operating position; to hook, 2313 a housing forl'theflexible member!!!" provide means-whereby when thefreeend of the\ and turnbuckle lfl' tl iepurpose-vof which l deck is being supported it'cannot aecidentlybe" explained: more, fully i'n; the riollowing' operation;

raised or loweredandto providemeans whereby" I 1e lhaveexplainedonly one -two-part sea Y in "case the deck;hoisting5x cables: failgthedeck'f curing-member's, 9",:iorlone side,of the deck. 1

1 will' be safely suspended;;,- j 'e itis t cpjhe nderstood that a'f'similar arrangement I '3 I j'is'eniploiredon'opposite side'of the deck as clearly Figure l'is a sld'e'eleva'tion 'oii'afdeckrwith an shownby Figure 2 [Also it is understood that the aut'omobilefflthereon,"held;in elevated-positionj by -arrangenierit covered by my invention may used;.withfia'second deck'inthet'freight 'cdr, ago n portionofj'flexible' membersfor thispurpose'be a;

ur 1; 1- h v ir gshown in Figure liby 24 and, and'thef Figure 3 is a. detailed plan view of anjiniproved bracket ior this' purpose, being;shown-byjFigure 3.-

"In the drawings, a v

3o-means-of'niyinvehtiomd- I Figure 2- is an eniarged front-elevation of Fig' ,fmeariis for, anchoring-the.suspensionmeansad f hs'suniingl-f' that a {ireight earzis to b'e loaded aty a h m of the n with rw wwh 1 sh h swwh d a w Fi ure 4is a detailed plan view of-th t'p t n automobile "up nhaldeck h and raise theYfree n t h ec which wperates w t the S p ns n];- end r tn deqk' inlelevated position. is ac y ans; v l ,5 icomplisjhdibjrfanji suitable'hoisting fand cable". Si r mbe nd letters, refereme'reier, mechanism and y pivotallyoonnectin g {o inde. a 4n o' a n 't s q e' r nss- 'irigthe-rearlehdfofthed to the car strueture 40 .Pepresents h freight ra' i l 'r hi t endofthedokwithits i "the deckissupportedrl, efl9 ,O iesvsma' hy-m ismsormy "Lend of the m and-:4 the car roof geiiera'lly 51-4. e108; dedfi-dk isqsecurel' I I represents the car "side plates and hdesignates w a w h b thexdeck-generally-which is of the type h avinge fi msm h 'eljev'atedythe fnexible members. I

longitudinal, side membersvand front andendf i P -a crossmemhers 'lindicating the iront cross l mem-f' 'fhQ dQQ v g a. A. n V

ber. -Itis ito be understoom'howeven' that-mylin-fl b 1 18 9 31 eld 1 1 ots I2 ofthe b a liet 'vention maybe used in'conjuncti on witli'anyifoim ff J ll'iby; Plate -UTW W :Q rw a i of deck. 8 represents car sills offany approved] zia ed, zth gfl '0 ,l bmket; is passed 5o type and 9, 9' indicate jja, two-part fiexibl'esusq .throu npe i el i e, und rstood pension membet sho wn aSphainsQand l ll abi-acket; that theeyef'llisfoi ize that permitsitjtopass securedto sideipl'ates it-0r anyotherisuitablethrough o enin l'5'.;- 'Ihe'n:uppnflexible member} part oithe-voar adjacent'the roofrthereofand'the I 9", securelyattached at its lower end tothe side a hoot opening.,v ll designates the'fhorizontal floor -.rsill 8"by means ofjan anchor l: 9, c0nne cted at its upper end to flexible member 9 through hook and eye means 2|, 22,

The two-part supporting member now being connected, a link of member 9 passes from opening 15 into elongated slot l6 and due to the fact that adjoining links to the one in the slot are at right angles to the slot the flexible suspension member has non-slip engagement in the slot and thus the end of the deck is securely held in its proper position and cannot accidently be raised or lowered. Should there be any slack in the twopart flexible member, turnbuckle 20 may be operated.

It will be noted, as shown by Figure 2, the distance between the two slots I6 is less than the distance between the two upper brackets I0 and lower securing means l9 and, consequently, theflexible members through tension will normally remain in the slots l6. However, to prevent accidental withdrawal of the "flexible members from the slots l6, l6, under extremely unusual conditions, I have provided a pivoted cover I 'l for the circular openings I5, which cover may be placed in or out of position by means of handle i8. It

will be seen that when these pivoted platescover the circular openings IE it is impossible for the flexible members 'to'be accidentally withdrawn from the slots l6.

After the deck is held, in the position as above described and it is found necessary to further elevate the deck, it is only necessary that the pivoted plates. I! be withdrawn from the openings l 5 and that the chain be'pulied into said openings and the deck be elevated.

When the unloaded deck is raised by means of its cable and winding mechanism to the roof of V the car, the upper portion 9 of the flexiblememher is stored adjacentv the roof and the lower portion 9' is stored in .any suitable housing 23 underneath the floor of the car.

While I have preferably shown the flexible suspension members in the form of chains, it is understood, of course, that any type of flexible means may be employed provided such means have portionswhich when passed through openings IS. on the deck may be held when positioned in slots l6;

Although a specific embodiment of the invenfrom. slipping tion has-been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim is: 1. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including a deck having in said end portion an elongated slot, a flexible member having non-slip engagement in said slot one end of said flexible member being anchored adjacent the roof of the car and the opposite end of the flexible member being anchored adjacent the floor of the car.

2. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including a deck having in said end portion an elongated slot, 21. flexible member having non-slip engagement-in said slot, the flexible member being anchored at one end adjacent the roof of the car and anchored at its other end adjacent the floor of the car, and tensioning means for said flexible member.

3. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including a deck having in said end portion an elongated slot, a flexible member comprising a chain a link of which is adapted to have non-slip engagement in said slot and means to anchor one end of said flexible I :1 member above said slot and means to'anchor the opposite end of said flexible member below said slot.

4. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including a deck having in said end' portion an opening, a flexible supporting member for said deck adapted to pass through said opening and means associated with said opening and cooperating with said flexible member to prevent relative movement between said deck and saidflexible member one end of said flexiblemember being anchored adjacent the roof of the car and the opposite end of said flexible member being anchored adjacent the floor of-the car. v

5. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including a deck having in said end portion an opening, a flexible supporting member for said deck adapted to pass through said opening, means associated with said opening and cooperating with said flexible member to prevent relative movement between said deck and said flexible member and means to anchor one end of said flexible member to a bracket adjacent the roof of the car and means to anchor the opposite end of said flexible member to the I car side sill. I

6. Means for supporting the ends of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including pivoted ing non-slip engagement in said slot and means to anchor one end of said flexible member adjacent the car roof and the opposite end of said flexible member adjacent the car floor.

'7. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including a deck having in said end portion an elongated slot, a chain link of which is adapted to have a non-slip engagement in said slot and means to anchor one end of said flexible member adjacent the car roof and means to anchor the opposite end of said flexible member adjacent the car floor.

8. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car including a deck having in said end portion an opening and an elongated slot associated with said opening, a

' link-chain adapted to pass freely through said opening and having a link adapted to flt in nonslip engagement within said slot, means to anchor the ends of said flexible member in said car one end being anchored adjacent the car roof and the opposite end being anchored adjacent the car floorand tensioning means for said flexible member.

9. Means for supporting an end of-a vehicle loading deck in freight cars including a flexible member attached at one end adjacent the roof of the car and attached at its other end adjacent the floor of the car, an opening in the deck adjacent an end thereof through which said flexible member freely passes whereby relative movement is permitted between the deck and said flexible member, and means associated with said opening and cooperating with said flexible member to prevent said relative movement and to hold'the end of the deck in position.

10. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in freight cars including a flexible i. j a

a a. l

which said flexible member freely passes whereby ,relative movement is permitted between the deck and said flexible member and a slot associated with said opening and cooperating with said flexible member to prevent said relative movement and to hold the deck in position. 11'. Means for supporting anrend of a vehicle loading deck in freight cars including a flexible I member attached at one end adjacentrthe roof of the carand attached at its other end adjacent "the floor of the car, a bracket upon said deck adjacent an end thereof having therein an opening through which said flexible member freely passes whereby relative movement is permitted between the deck and said flexiblememberand j a slot in said bracket associated with said opening vand cooperating with said flexible member to prevent said relative movement and to hold the deck in position; e

12. Means for supporting an end; of a vehicle loading deck in freight cars including a linkchain'flexible member attached'at one end adjacent the roof of the car and attached at its other end adjacent the floor of the car, an opening in the deck adjacent an end thereof through which 'said link-chain freely passes whereby relative movement is permitted between the. deck and said chain, and a slot associated with,said opening and cooperating with links of said chain to prevent said relative movement and to hold theend ct the deck in position. 13. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in freight cars including a two-part flexible member one part of which is attached at one end adjacent the roof of the car and the other part of which is attached at one end adjacent the floor of thecar, means to connect the free ends of both members, meansupon the V deck adjacent an end thereof through which said flexible member freely passes and'whereby relaloading deck in a freight car including a deck;

having in said end portion 'an opening and a connected elongated slot, a link-chain adapted to pass freely through such opening and having a link adapted to fit in non-slip, engagement within saidslot, a pivoted cover for said opening,

means to anchor the ends of said flexible memher in said car one end of the flexible member being anchored adjacent the car roof and the' opposite end of the flexible member being anchored adjacent the car floor, and tensioninE "means for said flexible member.

15. Means for supporting an end of a vehicle loading deck in a freight car comprising a twopart flexible link-chain. member, one part of which is attached at-its upper end to the'car structureadjacent the roof thereof and having upon its lower free end a closed eye, the second part of which is attached at its lower end to the I car structure adjacent the floor thereof and hav-- ing a hook upon its free end for cooperation with said eye, an opening in the end of the deck through which the first mentioned part of the flexible member freely passes, an elongated slot associated with said opening adapted for the reception of a link in non slip engagement with said slot, a pivoted cover for said opening and tensioning means such as a turnbucklefor said two-part connected flexible member.

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